Shoe-lacing.



F. DUQUBTTE.'

` SHOE LAGING. APPLIOATIONIILED NOV. 19. 1909.'

963,696.l 4 Patented Ju1y5, 1910.

rnnnrtrcx :mmun'ran` or NAsHwAUK, MINNESOTA.

SEOE-LACING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

Application led November 19, 1909. Serial No. 528,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIGK DUQUETTE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nashwauk, in the county of Itasca and State of Minnesota,have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-,Lacings, of which thefollowing is a specification. i

This invention relates to improvements in lacing devices primarily,adapted for use 1n connection with shoes, but .which ma be applied toother devices with equal e ciency, and the object of the invention is toprovidea device of this character which is simple in construction,easily applied to the tongue and foxing of an ordinary shoeand'wherebythe ends of the lace may be securely retained without the necessity oftying the same.

With the above, and other objects in-view, which will appear as thedescription progresses, the invention resides in the novel constructionand combination of parts lhereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing there has been illustrated a simple andpreferred embodiment of the improvement, and in which Figure 1 is apartial front elevation of an ordinary shoe illustrating the improvementin applied position thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view uponthe' line 2--2 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view upon the line 3-3Fig.y 2. Fig. LL-is a horizontal sectional view upon the linee-11 Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view upon the line '5-5 Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 1 designates the vamp of anordinary shoe. This vamp is provided with the usual tongue 2, which maybe integrally formed or othrvvise connected with the vamp.

The numerals 3 designate the sides or foxing of the shoe, and the edgesof this foxing are preferably scalloped as illustrated in Fig.l 1 of thedrawing. Secured to the foxing 3 at spaced intervals and in directalinement with each other are a plurality of eye members 4, a crosssection of which appears in Fig. 5 of the drawing. By reference to thisfigure-it will be noted that lthe eyes are constructed of a single stripof suitable material bentupon itself and having the extremity of theirarms providedcwith openings adapted for the reception of suitableattaching members 5 whereby the said members are securely connected withthe foxings 3. The curved or body portion of as designated by thenumeral (5, whereby the lacing may be easily drawn without beinginterfered with by the said portion 6.

Secured to the vamp 1 directly below the foxings 3, and central of thetongue 2 is a hook member 7 over which the central portion of the lacing8 is adapted to be positioned, and from thence fed in oppositedirections through the eyes 5, and the terminals of the lace are adaptedto be received within a clamping member 9. This clamping member 9 is ofa peculiar formation and comprises an outer section or member l() whichris constructed of a single strand of suitable resilient material bentupon itself to form a substantially4 V-shaped structure, the ends ofwhich are bent inwardly as at 1l and are adapted to contact the sideportions of the said member. These inwardly bent portions --are eachprovided with a suitable slot or opening 12 and the said openings areadapted/for the forwardly extending arms of a second V-shaped resilientmember 13 which is positioned Within the outer member 10 and is securedthereto through the medium of a retaining element 14 which also connectsthe members with the tongue 2. The upper portion of one of the armsprovided by the member 10 has a suitable opening and this opening isadapted for the reception of a suitable securing element 15 which alsoengages the tongue 2 and whereby the clamp is. elfect-ively retained inposition upon the said tongue 2. By reference to Figs. 3 and 4: of thedrawing it will be noted 'that the arms of the V-shaped member 13 arecorrugated or otherwise provided with depressions, the bulgin part ofone of the arms being received witIiin the recessed portion of theopposite arm, and positioned between these arms and the arms provided bythe member 10 are flattened resilient members 16 which elfectively aidin forcing the said arms together.

It will be noted that by bending the arms of the member 10 uponthemselves a substantial mouth 17'is provided at the top of` the clamp,and when the lace 8 is in proper position within the eyes 5 and upon thehook 7 it will be noted that the ends of the said clamp when positionedbetween the arms of the V- haped member 13 will be effectively retainedand the necessity of tying the ends of the lace is entirely obviated.

From the above description, taken in conthe eyes 4 is enlarged andcurved;

loo

vpurpose intended, and it will be noted that I have cheap and thoroughlyeffective device for the is tobe understood that While I `haveillustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the im rovement,as it now appears to me, minor Yetails Within the scope of thefollowing,cla-im,

may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit.` or sacrificingany of thedvantages of the invention. Having thus described the I claimas'new is A clamp for the ends of a lace comprising an outer 'V-shapedmember constructed of resilient material, the arms of said member beingbent inwardly upon themselves Vto proinvention, what pora second andtheir extremities positioned Within the openings of the bent {ortions ofthe first "member, and 'resilient ve ements between the `-outer member.

. EDWARD THOMPSON,

MICKEL BANO.

arms of the inner member vand those of the' the outer member and itsarms 'corrugated In testimony whereof I aixmy Signature`

